One of the books found in my library is titled, The Old Churches of the Province of Québec: 1647-1800. It is an interesting title for me as I am quite interested in the early Catholic history of New France. One of the churches found in that book is Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, located in Place Royal, Quebec City, and it is one of the early Quebec churches I always find myself gravitating toward.
For those not familiar with the church, building began in 1687 -- built atop the ruins of Samuel de Champlain's first outpost -- and finally completed in 1723. The church was originally dedicated to the Infant Jesus in point of fact, but after two successive political victories the name Notre-Dame-des-Victoires came in commemoration of them.
The exterior of the building is, to my mind, the star of this particular show. The simple but noble stone exterior with its rounded, paned windows and steeple is both warm and inviting -- and it doesn't hurt that it is all set within the old world feel of Place Royal.
The interior of the church, on the other hand, carries with it a style quite characteristic to this period in Quebec -- a style which might surprise some readers given the relatively sober exterior of the church. White painted wood with gold gilt details reign supreme here. Here is a good look at the interior of the chapel as it stood around the year 1900.
And here it is today:
Finally, while we are here, a quick look into the chapel:
